Why I'll never buy from a local bike shop again

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PokojniToza
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:41 pm

by PokojniToza

I am ok with doing things on my own, and there is a certain delight in building your bikes on your own. However, I live in a tiny flat and there is simply no room for bike stands, tools, etc., so I' rather play a professional to do it.

by Weenie


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AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

Aero bikes (integration), disk brakes and tubeless road might be technologies that bring more business to the LBS.

Wookski
Posts: 1416
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:51 am

by Wookski

Miller wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 9:15 pm
Seems to me that the future for LBS is definitely service-oriented. Sure there are plenty of people on this forum who clearly know one end of a hex key from the other but I don't think they're typical. Sport cycling has got big over the last decade in UK and most of those people new to the sport are buying complete bikes. What proportion of them have a clue about maintenance?
The future? If they’re not service-oriented by now then they’re probably f#&ked

kode54
Posts: 3749
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

Probably true...as I know some triatheles that don't have any time to work on bikes because they're either running, biking or swimming...let alone working.
AJS914 wrote:
Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:07 am
Aero bikes (integration), disk brakes and tubeless road might be technologies that bring more business to the LBS.
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- Guru Praemio R Disc

ancker
Posts: 164
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 9:29 pm

by ancker

kode54 wrote:
Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:50 pm
Probably true...as I know some triatheles that don't have any time to work on bikes because they're either running, biking or swimming...let alone working.
AJS914 wrote:
Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:07 am
Aero bikes (integration), disk brakes and tubeless road might be technologies that bring more business to the LBS.
This isn't true for all, but I think triathletes keep LBSs alive. I know a ton that use them to do 'everything' on their bike, simply because they can afford it.

ichobi
Posts: 1793
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:30 pm

by ichobi

That's a well observed point. My local lbs is full of tri bikes coming in for services. In fact there seem to be more tri bikes parked there than road bikes most of the time even though they are not tri-related shop. Just good quality service.




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nycebo
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:04 pm
Location: New York, NY

by nycebo

We are the minority, we here at Weight Weenies. There's zero chance that the average rider wrenches their own bike just like there's zero chance that anything but a small fraction of us wrench our own cars.

It's the beauty of capitalism and the markets. Either the LBS "earns one's" business or the LBS "goes out of" business. It's no different in my own industry.

bikeboy1tr
Posts: 1395
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:19 am
Location: Southern Ontario Canada

by bikeboy1tr

When I look at our club and the number of people that are capable of wrenching their own bike it is a pretty slim number. Our club is spread out over three towns for the most part and their is not a good LBS within our club limits, not that their is no shops but they are not good ones. For a good shop I have to drive at least an hour to get there and I used to do this but in the last 7 years I have had to work 6 days a week and if I want to train it leaves little time to travel and do all the other things in life that need doing. I am capable of looking after my own equipment, I wouldnt call myself a great mech but I will fix my issues one way or another. I consider myself lucky that way cause everyone else in the club has to travel for a bike shop. I really dont think a good shop could make it in our town as many bussiness in our town dont do that well for some reason and I am sure a cycle shop would not make it as our town is not the most sport minded especially when it comes to bicycles. My last bike was purchased about an 1.5 hour away from home from a guy who has a small shop (garage) and a mobile truck service for the bikes. He is not cheap but he does know his stuff and for the odd bits I will go to him. Plus he lives near the escarpment (hills) so I get a bonus ride when visting. And also in his area is a small shop that builds good wheels which is another shop I have done bussiness a few times in the past.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=154188
2018 Colnago V2R Rim Brake
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wallstbear
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:17 am

by wallstbear

I hope this won't offend anyone, but to be a mechanic today you have to be so much smarter than before. I started building my own bikes back in the 90s (square tapered BBs etc.) and have built easily 50+ bikes myself with great results. But with the latest technologies I honestly feel a bit less capable myself and have resorted to shops on several occassions. The results were pretty similar to the OP's. The shop guy *f##k* things up frequently.

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

Not smarter, just more rigorous and ordered.

RocketRacing
Posts: 964
Joined: Thu May 10, 2018 2:43 am

by RocketRacing

For bikes and cars, i enjoy working on them when i have the time. When i can, i feel if builds far more satisfaction, and a bond to the bike/car.

More than that, I enjoy reasearching/learning about engineering choices. I call it mental masturbation.

Given my interests and (lack of) time, i tend to leave big stuff to the lbs, but i much prefer to do things like components swaps and adjustments like brakes myself. No one sets brakes the way I want them like i do. And i know all the torque specs for my exotic carbon parts, so i do all that myself.

Right now i am swapping a mechanical to di2 groupset to a bike that was not made for di2. It is my first time installing any groupset really, and it has been kind of fun. I will probably save a lot of money, but not time. But i will likley bring it to the lbs for a final setup check (derailers)... depending on how lazy i get by the end.

The mechanical side of bikes is pretty easy. What i lack is the experience to know when something is “good” vs “ideal” in setup. That takes a level of experience that i am still only building. My lbs staff have that experience.

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mendiz
Posts: 338
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2005 3:08 am

by mendiz

I think lbs sometimes is useful but just in case is a great mechanic. If not, always, always buy on line. Nowadays there are a lot of shops, I try to find the best mechanic.
Local bike shops don't have any brand normally I like to buy except Shimano and clothes. No Ax lightness, no Schmolke, no Lightweight, no FMB, etc.
Besides they say always " I can bring" , no, thanks, I prefer to buy online faster and no another trip to lbs waiting one week.
The better part is when they lie about a product when they want sell something, normally I have read about that product at least 100 posts here.
Last edited by mendiz on Wed Mar 20, 2019 6:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
You don´t stop riding when you get old, you get old when you stop riding.

Bryin
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:43 am

by Bryin

I believe that if you are a "real" cyclist, you wrench your own bike. I raced my first (junior) road race in 1988... and back in the day if you rode you wrenched. It is so EASY today with the advent of Youtube, you can find a video to show how to do almost anything to a bike.

As far as buying a bike at a LBS... I really don't understand that....

I buy a new bike off Ebay and save $1000s... Last spring (2018) I bought a Giant Defy SL 0 (2013 model Dura Ace 9000) brand new for $2475 shipped to my door. Sure I had to change the chainrings (wanted 50/34) and cut the seat mast... but I saved $5000! Why would anyone buy from a shop? I might have a bike that is dated a few years but for the money it is so worth it.

This year I bought a new Allied Alfa with Ultegra (with warranty) for $2700... I am making changes (bars, stem, cranks, wheels, saddle) and will sell the take offs on ebay... it is a project.

One tip I would offer is- own 2 or more bikes so that when you are wrenching on one you have a working bike. This takes all the pressure off and makes your life so much easier. (also good if one breaks). I find I enjoy wrenching when I don't "gotta get it done to ride". I typically ride a bike 2 years, one as the "good" bike and one as the "rain" bike then I dump it on ebay. Example- 2016 bought a Scott Solace (new with DA 9000) for $2300... primary bike 2017, rain bike 2018 sold it November 2018 for $1300... so it cost me $1000 for 2 seasons or $500 a season. Then it became someone else's project or problem.

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dgasmd
Posts: 1953
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:10 am
Location: South Florida

by dgasmd

AJS914 wrote:Aero bikes (integration), disk brakes and tubeless road might be technologies that bring more business to the LBS.
That’s no joke!!

Bought a MTB with a lefty fork and put new tubeless tires in its tubeless time with new tape and stems. Couldn’t get them to seal, so dropped it off at the local Cannondale dealer as I wanted them to slam the proprietary stem it came with. Told
Them all the things I tried unsuccessfully to get the tires to seal. 2 weeks later, tires are the same as they said “I put air and it won’t hold” and the stem is no longer made, so we can get you a new one and install it for $70 plus the cost of the stem”. You have be f^#+#^g kidding me! Went home and put a tube in each tire and dropped the stem myself in 5 min. Dumb POS!!!

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

I have a full suspension Specialized Camber and I'm almost ready to give up on the disc brakes. I didn't ride the bike for a year and then the brakes went flat. I spent an hour trying to bleed the front without success. The caliper seems to be sticky. Rebuilding the caliper looks fairly easy but rebuilding the master cylinder in the lever looks like a big PITA. Yes, I watched all the SRAM videos.

It's all doable but a PITA. I'm getting to the point where spending a couple hundred a year at the LBS sounds like a good solution. I also have never tackled rebuilding a fork or a rear suspension.

by Weenie


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